You have to respect our free political foundation in the United States. Some may not like it. But, our unique ability to voice our dislikes is globally irreplaceable. And, yes, there is much to dislike – front and center, the discord and vitriol in Washington. That results in our elections eternally raising eyebrows. Understand, it’s not partisan. I can’t count the times I’ve heard people say, “Honestly? Out of 330 million Americans, these are the best candidates we can find?” ...
Happily, at least simple things get done. Most of the time. For instance, the Columbian Exposition of 1892 in Chicago. It was then and there the first US commemorative coin was introduced – the Columbian half dollar.
Of course, at the time, it too raised eyebrows. After all, for a 50-cent coin the government was charging one-dollar. That may seem like chump change but, adjusted for inflation, a dollar then was the equivalent of $33 today. Still, it was a nice souvenir and would always be worth half a buck. Collectors now pay anywhere from $15 to $650 for one of those halves depending on condition.
Since 1892, commemorative coins have become a staple for collectors. There have been clad, silver and/or gold commemorative coins struck for everything from Olympic Games and Jackie Robinson to War Veterans, our National Parks and on and on.
For the government they are money-makers. That is until this year. Be it Congressional gridlock, apathy or whatever, for 2023, not one clad, silver or gold commemorative coin is being produced or distributed. None. That hasn’t happened since 1985. It isn’t as if some didn’t try.
Multiple representatives proposed legislation for individual commemorative coins or coin sets. A few ideas included: a clad, silver and gold three-coin set for the 19 Granite Hill “Hotshots” firefighters who died battling the 2013 Yarnell Hill wildfire in Arizona; a silver dollar for the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC; a three-coin set for Black poet Paul Laurence Dunbar; a three-coin set for the worst maritime disaster in US history on the SS Sultana steamboat that exploded in 1865 killing 1,169 passengers; and a three-coin set saluting the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York. Legislation for a 2023 commemorative coin program saluting military and civilian support/service dogs also simply disappeared.
Not only do the coins make money for the government, they have raised funds for organizations. Groups and causes such as Scouting, the Baseball Hall of Fame; Breast Cancer Research and countless others commemorated on coins can receive a healthy donation from their sale, particularly if the design is compelling. So, when done right, it’s a win-win.
While we can hope for cooler commemorative political heads to prevail next year, the upcoming quarters are faring much better. Ever since the insanely successful and widely collected 50 State Quarters Series launched in 1999, we have enjoyed a variety of new and different images on our quarters. Even though they appear to commemorate things (and many frankly do), they are technically not commemoratives. Rather they are circulating coins.
For 2024, we have five new candidates for the American Women Quarters Program now in full swing. First out of the chute would be Patsy Takemoto Mink – the first woman of color to serve in Congress and major advocate of Title IX. Second is Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a surgeon and abolitionist during the Civil War. Walker cared for both northern and southern injured troops and is the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor. Next is writer, activist and civil rights advocate Pauli Murray. She co-founded the National Organization for Women (NOW).
The fourth quarter will honor Gertrude Simmons Bonnin of the Yankton Indian Reservation – home to the Sioux and Dakota tribes. She too advocated for the rights of Indian women and children. Finally, look for Celia Cruz – the Cuban-American singer considered the “Queen of Salsa” and one of the most popular Latin music artists of the last century.
While too many now pay scant attention to the content on our quarters, these are ideal examples of the legacies and lore to be found on the coins. Better still, they could be an ideal vehicle and tool for educators to instill and excite young people (particularly girls) to learn so much more about the history they are holding in their hands. That’s way more than a two-bit opportunity.
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